Deep Breath, Don't panic
by Shieldmaiden83
Summary: (Rated T and warning for mild cursing. Takes place during Season two of Prime) On Wheeljacks second return to Earth he did not expect to pick up a companion who turned out to be a adult human female with her own set of rules. She seems fearless pretty fearless and adventurous, until her worst fears being a free spirit comes tumbling down.


_Long have I had this in the works and finally finished (per say)_

 _One of many small background story between Hope Dunbar and Wheeljack, my two main charecters in The Wrecker and the Shieldmaiden._

 _Enjoy_

* * *

That made a dent in their planes. It have caught them by surprise. Glancing at the rain drop fall on the cockpit window.

"Some short cut you took there" typical males no matter species, in this case a robot with male characteristics. Wheeljack glances in general direction of his companion. Brushing a lock of hair behind her ear and other rested on hip.

"So what now?"

"Wait it out, nothing else" the bot threw up his legs beside the cockpit controls.

Hope felt restless, she have gone along on this to get away and excuse of the weekly dinner date her parents, always a drag for her. Falling back hands behind her head. Maybe she should have changed raising a leg, the high heel shoes still attacked, one of her new expensive, but pretty shoes. What where you thinking missy? Oh well she kicked them off and wiggled her toes, it felt nice producing a smile on her lips.

Wheeljack on and off inspected his instruments. The clouds got a lot thicker and darker, rain stopped, instead it started to hail. Icy pellets ramming on the hull of the Jackhammer. His ship can easy with stand it having navigated through dangerous asteroids belts and magnetic nebulas disrupting the sensors then going by guts alone which way 'looked' to be the safest. A lightning strike have caused him to land, it fried some of the navigations controls. Hopefully not others going over the diagnostics if anything else have malfunctioned.

Grounded, by weather on a planet, great the bot grumbled.

"I should have brought a book with me."

"A what?" short glanced her way.

"You know something to read while waiting, I am currently reading a spy thriller"

The bot huffed. He had least something to do then glancing at his screens and making more bombs. Always something to do or preserving power.

"Got all the suspense and thrill right here" Wheeljack snarkly replied.

Those things on her feet reminded him of Starscreams own peds and other seekers of his build. Why does she wear them? Humans are an interesting bunch, with all their different ways of living. The planet was divided by countries with different languages.

"Yeah stuck in a can with a freaking robot that's a real killer story" she snapped with an evil eye.

"Hey, with that attitude I am inclined to kick you out and have your fun out there" he warned.

"You wouldn't even dare do that" she bundled her self up, arms over her knees and let out a long sigh. Tired look in her eyes. Wheeljack bended down staring at her. She is stubborn to as brave.

"What's wrong?"

Rolling her eyes and gave him a seriously look He let her be, as she gave him a rolling eyes and long exasperated sigh. "Nothing" she mumbled waving him off. He let her be, how else would he deal with a moody female human is beyond him, she wanted to go with him on short notice.

Trying to make the time go faster plugging in her earphones to listen to some music from her playlist. ½ hour more passed by, the music made her limps feel restless.

The diagnostics where completed, thankfully other then some glitches that could be sorted out with some tweaking the navigation computer was intact. If it had fried he had a back-up just in case, thou that process can be time consuming having to rememember every planet, system and galaxy drawn from memory. Carefully encoded and encrypted in in CPU from the long lone journey looking for his kind.

It drastic changed on the second return to Earth.

Other then the hammering hail from the outside it was eerie quiet. To quite to his liking and got of his chair. What he thought after being battle-born for millennia of war made him raise an eye ridge.

She was..in lack of better words dancing to music from the ear plugs, phone holding in one hand, both arms raised in the air, lower regions of her body moved to what she was listening too. Face spelled serenity and was smiling, first time of the whole day completely unaware of her surroundings.

As the music elevated its crescendo so did she moving barefoot across the floor in elegant moves, sure-footed where to put them spinning around. Yet did not account for a large ped in her way and less then gracefully landed with a tumble on the floor. Wheeljack could not hold his laughter back her fell was comical as realised arms flailing with loud shrieks hit the floor.

He was having his fun on her behalf he did only stopped for few nano seconds having a pair of shoes thrown at his face. Pretty good aim. Then she started laughing having Wheeljack baffle look at her.

Their fit of laughing soon resided. Catching her breath with a few hiccups not to fall back into more laughter.

"You where dancing?" Wheeljack crouched down staring at her with a pair of ice-blue optics she saw from up side down.

"Yeah so?" tilting her head a bit to side looking back with her own pair of more 'natural set of hazel brown eyes engulfed around the auburn set of hair.

"So what?"

"Can you bots dance?"

"Is that a trick question, can human's drop down from a skyscraper and survive?"

"Only with a parachute of some sort of rappelling" Hope snorted followed by a certain mischievous glint in her eyes and a wide smile, getting to her feet, drawing in a deep breath once more.

"I bet you can't do this, it requires grace and elegance"

Arms stretched out to her sides, left foot elevated backwards more then 90 angle degrees while balancing on her toes, spine arched back to create an an impression of a swan.

"Hah, you're on" he loved a good challenge.

It did not go as planned.

"See grace, poise and elegance" snickering. It felt good to get back at him, he failed miserable on many attempts in the end it only locked painfull to watch and hear the cybertronian curses.

"Ok I ain't got that Little Lady" he gave up. It hurt his Wrecker pride not being able to do what she could.

"Yeah you're one big two left footed robot, ballet ain't easy mate" smug sitting rubbing her foot and calve, it has been a while since she did that. "And I ain't a lady. If I where then a lady shouldnt wear clothes showing cleavage, swear and drink as a sailor, nah doesn't sound like me at all does it when the word lady comes to mind" holding her chin high. What is next calling her babe? Light hit her face. It have stopped raining, the sun shined through warming up the cockpit in a golden light all of a sudden.

Wheeljack went to start up the sequence for take off to find a more suitable spot to land and repair.

"Hmm, wasn't there hours ago" Wheeljack murmured loud enough for Hope to hear.

"What's that?"

"Positive energon signature." fixing the ship can wait, he had to look into it.

Hope caught a glimpse of the screens with highlighted symbols far alien to her, logic told her the pulsing symbol indicated the energon Wheeljack spoke of. It must run on the same principles then human radar systems she mused her self.

Wheeljack where not much a teacher when she asked about certian stuff how worked, being curies of nature and observant. She prided her self having been told possessed some of the same qualities as her Great Grandfather whom worked as a spy during both World Wars. It was an age long ago for her, past is past and can not be altered.

"Where are we exactly in the world if you don't mind telling me" putting on her extra shoes, a force of habit in her work tipping around in high heels it is nice to have some flat for the feet to recuperate.

"Energon is energon can't ignore it"

Should have known better the bot just had his own agenda. Hope have not foreseen she would be hanging out with an alien robot for the last 1½ months. It spiced up her life then the constant drama at her work. Energon, a resource for the Autobots and Deceptocons. Being of the same race they needed it to survive scattered all over the galaxy, Earth had an abundance for a reason no one could explain. The trouble is much is hidden way under the soil hard to get to even by humans most sophisticated drilling machines.

"Fresh air sounds lovely, better then stuck with you inside all day" flinging her usual sarcastic insult at him. Down the ramp had some second thoughts. To their sides the ship have landed in a wide stretched ravine with a creek having gone over its borders ran in the bottom. Mud, and dirt, lots of it. Note to self, remember to pack hiking boots. She wondered if the sneakers could withstand all the mud...not to mention the pants getting soaked. Pulling up her pants and used all of her hair pins to set them in place. A woman should never go anywhere with hair pins, never know when you need em chiding her self.

She caught quick on with Wheeljack avoiding what she thought looked to be soft dirt balancing over some stray stones. The bot was heading upwards in strides Hope had to jock keeping up, and climb. The mud looked to be sturdy enough and counted her self lucky could find a good foothold. Least it is not a sheer vertical climb, this is more of about a 30 degree angle.

Finally on the top. He was scanning the area. No hints of a mine anywhere.

"Not that I am complaining, but a little help could have been nice" catching her breath.

"I didn't say you could join" grinning and turned taking just few steps, most of his feet disappeared in the mud.

"Ugh, that is going to get stuck for days" glaring at his human companion having her laugh at his cost. He was started to sink to his knees. Great he could feel it leak into the delicate wires of the legs as he wrestled him self free of the mud-hole.

"Thanks for showing me where not to step" she had already taken a picture of Wheeljack's predicament, worthy to show Miko next time they visit the Autobot base. "Hmm no signal, gotta have a talk with my service provider for a better package" or it could be that they are way out in the boonies. Not even her phone gps worked. Darn should have thought be more prepared having gone to great length taking those survival courses.

With her shirt hanging around her waist, the sun was nice feeling it on her face and bare arms. A rainbow..how pretty, not that her robotic companion would know the significance of it or its beauty.

They have reached a tier of the rocky slide, very possible to climb up its sides. Here was a more forest like area clinging on to life, pine-trees, big and small. The fresh smell of rain grazed her nostrils, it tickled her mind making her smile.

Wheeljack turned around before Hope even realised a missile was aiming straight for them. In matter of seconds most part of the cliff was buried in rock. Heart beating fast starring at Wheeljack, his facemask clicked into place.

"Run and hide NOW!" he growled releasing her from his metal grasp.

Heart thumping fast, hide from what? A jet engine cut through the air just over head. Right time to leg it.

It transformed and landed with both feet firmly planted on the ground firm to hold its massive weight.

"Well what do we have here, I came to investigate an energon signal. This must be my lucky day."

"Dreadwing" the mere presence of the con was an insult on Wheeljacks breath.

Holding back a whimper scurrying behind a fallen tree trunk that have once stood proud on this tier, recently been tipped over by the storm. She ignored a large beetle crawling over her hand, terrified at the imposing Decepticon sizing up its smaller combatant. Both large to her. Daring not to breath it felt as the air around the place started to suck the life out her.

In slow-motion, both drew their swords. Hope's heart skipped a beat, Wheeljacks swords glinted in a strange vibe in the sun glare. Slim and elegant. Dreadwings where one big long chunk of meshed metal held in two hands.

They clashed blades that sent trembliong effects towards her. Every step and blade smash vibrated through her. What did she get her self into, should she run?

Wheeljack's footwork and stance had its own sense of steps against Dreadwings brutal swifts attacks, dodging and deflecting. It is a sort of dance, to him. A deadly dance. To her horror it didn't end well, Dreadwing kicked up dirt, blinding Wheeljack for just a few seconds for a large bulk of fist hit the side of the wreckers helmet, dazing him. Another punch came to the chest pushing him up against the rock wall.

"Is that all? I have expected more from you" raising his sword to give the final blow.

"WHEELJACK NO!"

Dreadwing, lowered his sword peering at direction the scream came from. It came somewhere near.

Instead of finishing his opponent off Dreadwing gave yet another knuckle buster to Wheeljack face, enough to knock the wrecker out aiming at the right spot.

Now to deal with hos companion, it sounded very like a femme. Perhaps that was Arcee, no it could not be, then the two wheeler would have shown her self right about now. Or was she luring him away. In any case if he could finish two Autobots at the same time it would satisfy his master and lord.

He came straight at her. Frozen in fear, if she stayed very quiet maybe it will not notice her. She scream in terror as her hiding place where removed by a massive hand.

"A human?" genuine surprise. He saw the terror in her small expressive eyes scrambling back to get distance from him. To her he was a behomet.

"DREADWING" On the brink, rerouteing his systems back online, Hope's voice forced him awake. Wheeljack have recovered more quickly then Dreadwing have predicted, pissed off to for the matter.

"Ah ah" the sword cut down in the ground in front the human trying to make a run for it.

That's it, she lost it changing from fear to mindless rage "Oy, mind pointing that toothpick somewhere else ya nearly got me a bloody bad hair cut" kicking his sword that did not even made an effect then amuse the elite con warrior.

"Tell me Wheeljack, why do you keep a human pet" Dreadwing icy calm ignored the furious little humans anger fit.

"I am NOT someone's pet you ass-hole" Hope hissed.

Dreadwing cocked his head at the little human, she had ball bearings daring to speak to him like that. So small compared to his race, how is it be they are the dominant species of this world he have come to wonder.

Megatron could at any time with the power of the Nemisis take over Earth. He had to trust his Lord why they had to stay hidden from human eyes. These organics where the Autobots allies. And so be it Decepticons foes. His master had plans of his own for the humans once Optimus and rest of his band of misfits finally where eliminated for good.

"Its admirable for such a small beings to bark at a larger opponent knowing your own outcome would end in sheer destruction"

"Leave her alone, this is between me and you" Wheeljack warned moving closer.

He was baiting, Dreadwing knew it. "So you do have some affection to this one?" Raising his sword, mocking the wrecker to loose it. "If I kill you, will that come after me?"

"Oh I will, one way or the other you can bet ya boggin dobber" no hesitation in her statement with fire in her expressive eyes Dreadwing have learned their optics are called.

"That is very bold for such a fragile organic" raising an optic ridge, it was mere words to him, she was not worth his time. What ever they meant.

"She is tougher then she looks Dreadwing" perhaps the Con would have a more formidable fight, worthy of a warrior this time. "Lets settle this once and for all" crack of his pistons, fists drawn.

"Wreckers, you are tough, but lack finesse" Dreadwing scoffed "Very well" planting the sword into the ground as did Wheeljack with his, sign of respect.

"Don't worry, it will quick be over" did he just send a wink in her direction?

"Quick over for you wrecker RAAAAHHH"

And they where at it again, with fists and raw power. The mud made their peds slide, a thing Dreadwing have not predicted, a quick scuffle Wheeljack got the upper hand tripping Dreadwing landing in a pool of mud. Wheeljack on top pounding Dreadwing deeper into the soak filled soil.

"That's that" Wheeljack smeared mud from his optics barely could see. His protoform suddenly felt heavy having the mud invade everywhere under his armour, just great he thought. "Lets go" he retrieved his swords. Hope stood still "Hey..." gentle poking a dirty digit in her side. Wide eyed she stared at him.

"Did you..is he dead?"

"Ain't staying around to find out sweetspark. We gotta get out of here before more Cons show up." there was that carefree wink from before. Shaken her legs buckled under their weight having Wheeljack to carry her down the slope being faster. He didn't get far.

"That didn't sound good" stating the obivius as a squadron of vehicons came to the call of Dreadwing.

"WHEELJACK" very much alive and pissed glaring down the slope. He was covered in mud having pulled him self out of the mudhole. Wheelack had to leg it plus being mind full of his cargo. Dreadwing was holding grenade in one hand.

"Try getting away from this" he threw it. Hope gasped and shrieked, the explosion sent a white hot flare and shockwave enough to dislodge the already dangerous rock and mud to shift. Ordered by Dreadwing the vehicons speed up the process and caused a large section of the slope to collapse.

This is the worst time for his t-cog to malfunction, his scuffle in the mud have leaked into it and pistons not doing it job. Both vanished in the rubble. Dreadwing sputtered in his vents unable to transform him self and order a groundbridge. Being a Decepticon with principles, the nature of this place deemed to dangerous for their drones to operate and could not spare any right now. Mapping the location as hazardous he returned to the Nemesis and for a full system clean up.

Knockout winced at the dirt caked warrior. There where things as a Doctor he hated most of all. Cleaning out the dirt from flyers afterburners always where a drag it made more fun patching up Starscream.

* * *

Screaming, ground, sky, and then darkness took over, feeling her self roll even further. Loosing conscious.

Dizzy she came to again, it was dark. Heart pounding fast, was she dead, is this what it felt to be dead?

A sharp object raked over her leg and more pressure pushed down on her ankle. Head throbbed feeling a gash in her skull. Shifting around finding her foot was stuck, restricting her movements. And dirt fell into her mouth having her spit out in curses and coughs.

Wheeljack him self found him self baffled from her reaction to then he realised, her eyes found no focus. lubricants spilled from them., she was scared and panicking heaving for air in tear breaking hiccups.

"I am here" the bots bot voice where close by.

"Oh my god I am blind." scrambling trying to find him.

"It will come back. We where both hit by a flash grenade, been through them before, messes up your visuals" feeling it was the only thing he could offer for comforts. The pressure of the dirt around them pushed down on his pack. Upper body had shielded Hope from masses of rock pulverising her completely. Alive as she may be, humans could not survive long without air and the more breath she took the faster it will run out. She is aware of that in her panic state scrambling getting her leg free.

"Fuck that hurt" whimpering in pain getting the foot unstuck. Her toes, good she could feel her toes that is a good sign wriggling them. Scrambling to sit upright and feel her leg, part of her scuffle had her rack a good section of trousers.

"Hope"

She gasped. His voice just above her.

"Ye... yes?"

"I can't move my arms or my legs. You gotta trust me on this, but need I you to push a button, a distress beacon"

"What? "You telling me to feel you up?" nervous tried not to laugh.

"Got any better idea sweetspark?"

"Oh ok...then, tell me when I get warm or cold" never been blind before feeling with her fingers. No idea what she touched leaving not much to the imaginations still being in a panic state of mind kept her from falling of the edge.

"Woha way cold the other way just a bit to the right, no your left" her fingers had been way of mark, a little to much south, holding back a groan. Lucky her fingers avoided that mechanism guiding her further to the spot. "Eh think I got it?"

"Yup right there, just push it and all we have do is wait"

"I was wondering how you suddenly got smaller"

Huffing "My legs are buried, If you where not here I could have gotten my self free"

"So you could just leave me to my fate, geez how considerate of you, arh my leg, it feels weird" feeling with her fingers. Blood. Her leg was bleeding. As well her ankle hurt like hell.

"Can you see in the dark" it suddenly hit her "Can you see how bad I'm bleeding?"

"How would I know how bad the leak is, and yes I can see fine"

"Well you are a lot of help" she started to tear the already ruined trousers. "My foot is feels like its broken, there goes my dancing career" feeling again the gash and stop it and did her best all blind to wrap around to stop the blood flow.

Her head, its stirred around feeling someone where moving her around, just barely where she able to sit upright.

"Hope?!"

"Wheeljack..." her voice hoarse. "I think I hit my head pretty bad" only conclusion of logic she had why she felt dizzy all of a sudden. Fear setting in, irrational thoughts invaded her mind while the tears came in a stream back.

"Save your strength" he did like to know how far down they are buries. Frag, the lack of oxygen was getting to her, she knew it.

"Wheeljack..."sobbing.

"Reserve your strength"

"Tell me a story, just something...please, its so, dark...I don't want to be alone..."

Half dazed in the darkness, a small hand sprayed on his chestplate. A sort of thrumming resided behind it, not sure what it was, yet it soothed her a little leaning in on it.

"Al right" slowly rumble of his tone made her shiver, and awake. It contradicted what she learned from her survival course to reserve strength once a distress beacon have been triggered. The mud and stone all around them closed more in on her.

His voice, he held on to it telling her about a planet he once visited mostly filled with rock, and what ya know, rock like being lived their, native in their habitat. Not very intelligence having to fight his way through to a price of an energon mine they gorged them self on. His survival for the precious raw material. Another story of rich primitive world in a primordial stage of life in its oceans. Battling Con's with old wrecker buddies of another diversion of the troupe before setting off to find more and leaving the others on the long exile from their own planet far away in a distant galaxy.

His tales kept her alive, not knowing if she where listening.

Blinking, there some haze of a light hit her eyes having her small body leaned up against his chest for a sliver reassurance he was still there..in mid-sentence felt a pair of hands touched his face.

Her vision have come back, but short lived of faith being the last she saw, she collapsed.

"Hope!" not getting a response, Wheeljack feared the worst, his personal promise to Bulkhead. He would never look at him at the same way again, failing on a Wrecker honour always to look out for his friends.

Leaving her to die, helpless not to do anything. It was his fault for taking her with him. She is no wrecker, not built for war. Primus he would do anything to.. to thought of protecting an unwilling charge fuelled hatred aimed at Dreadwing. No one has come, Dreadwing could have blocked out his distress call. The small space and him holding up the weight from tons of rock and dirt had first prevented her to suffer a fate being crushed. It seemed hopeless now he could do nothing.

Intangible muffled voices over head.

"We are here? Hurry!" the weight of the rocks pushing on his back-struts. "Hope, hang in there, you got me, hang in there" calling out to her. It worked, her fingers twitched or could that be her body was dying?

"We?" sounded like Bulkhead

"Make hast" Optimus worked digging getting Wheeljack free. Mud, dirt and rock shifted under the bots weight. "We have little time"

Daylight.

"Get her out" Wheeljack roared. Optimus reached his hand inside and got hold of Hope pulling her out. Covered a thick layers of dirt. Eyes and mouth thrust open sucking in the precious air hurting her lungs.

"Jackie hold on" to late, more rubble dislodged it self from above. They had no other viable option to get out of the way or they will be buried with him.

"No no" Bulkhead helpless watched the tons of dirt and mud crush his best friend.

Hope still coughed for air laying helpless in Optimus's hand. Blinking shielding her eyes from the bright light of the clear blue sky.

"I can't detect his life sign" Ratchet lowered his scanner. "I am deeply sorry Bulkhead"

Optimus bowed his head in respect "Another comrade has fallen, but not in vain to sacrifice his life for another." All three bots stood in a moment of silence, it was the only thing they could do in respect.

"This place is a death trap, be better get out" Ratchet warned glaring at the landslides have buried and destroyed where trees have once stood scattered across the step hill. The Jackhammer it self have not unscathed being mostly covered with mud at the base of the slope.

"I agree" Optimus looked to the woman in his hand. She was hurt, self bandaged her leg the best she could while trapped. "We will come back and retrieve his remains. Wheeljack deserves a prober burial."

Bulkhead shed a lubricant from his optics, Wheeljack was his best buddy in all of the universe. Poor girl, he have just gotten to know him and then taken away.

"No no no, he can't be dead" the agonizing reality hurt her more then her aching body, uncontrollable tears ran down her cheeks, part glad to be alive, the rest weept for her newly found friend have gone to length and save her from certain death.

It was time to return to to base. Hope needed human medical care calling ahead for Nurse Darby to stand by once on the other side.

An earth-shattering rumble made all three bots scan where it came from. It did not come from above. Once more it rumbled, blasters shots fired from below the dirt. Fierce roar broke the heavy bonds and caked in mud head to toe, ice blue optics pierced through the mess.

"Jackie!" Bulkhead hide the tears of joy dashing to give his best friend a big crushing hug.

"Not this time big guy, if you squeeze me I'll never get this muck off me" stepping back from the good meaning bot.

"I knew it deep down you weren't gone" Bulkhead thrilled laughed.

"There is much to snuff me out buddy" grinning triumphant.

"Wheeljack?" the sound of her voice sent an arrow straight to his Spark.

"You look like you need a bath Little Lady" walking up, sheeding most of the dirt of him eyeing the small human in Optimus's hand.

Usually she would have a snappy remark, but let this one go, perhaps she could grew use to her new petname. Some dirty knight in not so shiny armour this guy was.

* * *

"I am NOT a child. I am grown woman, I can make decisions of my own" brooding having least three ganged against her, two of them bots and the other a US Special Agent.

Her clothes still being soaked getting the dirt off having, not much then an outdated oversized flight jump suit.

"None the less Wheeljack endangered your well being" Optimus reasoned strict.

"It was not his fault." she snapped.

Half awake Wheeljack cleared his throat. "If she where not around I would have been snuffed out."

Ratchet glared starred at his patient. "Don't defend her, this is all on you and now I have fix you up your broken aft, Primus know I am still finding mud in places there should not be, did you even shower down properly?"

"Jackie will never lie." Bulkhead said. Optimus gazed with a thoughtful expression between them.

"A word alone Miss Dunbar" offering his hand. Privacy was a luxury the bots not often had being Spartan interior of the main part of the base to talk in a more secluded setting. Better just hear what he had to say to her then have everyone listen to their conversation.

"You have put your self in grave danger Miss Dunbar"

"Dreadwing was about to chop of his head. What else did I had to do...throw a rock at him?"

"It is not that I wished to ask you in private" Not quite sure what to answer that. Optimus had the calm look almost to surreal to her. She could scream and punch at him, but never budge one inch, she then realised this being was an embodiment of calm nature.

Blinking gathering the memory just before passing out. Her sight have come back. His gaze on her have been filled with fear, for her. A bang in her heart hit her hard that the carefree bot did had a soft spot always acting tough.

"I don't do well in small places" slowly said.

"You are claustrophobic"

Nodding at the statement. "When I really panic I hyperventilate, I would have...died if weren't for him" She looked over to the other side, hidden behind Ratchet equipment Wheeljack was getting the best treatment a bot could want, well better then nothing, they had limited tech and made due with that they had.

"I see, you do trust him to be your guardian"

"My what?"

"He acts as your guardian, protecting you from harm"

"Well if you put it that way, but can't have him hoover over me all the time, got bills to pay."

The large bot only nodded, but had his hidden concern and discomfort that yet another human got involved in their war. "None the less, it is vital for your own safety Miss Dunbar no harm is to come to you"

"I am a woman that can take of her self, in the boundaries what I know. Now that Fowler have informed me what to expect you are going to see a bit more often of me if it fits in my own schedules and what else I can come up with of my daily life. But don't expect me to be a babysitter to this kids."

"As you wish Miss Dunbar" he let her back on to the platform of the human lounge area. Hope pondered what Optimus really wanted of her.

"How did you end up with Wheeljack in the first place?" Jack asked carefully as Hope grimaces her face to sit comfortable as possible on the couch.

"Its complicated, work, my mum nagging me why I am still single etc..." rubbing the back of her head. Head ache was long gone, she more longed to get home, have a long warm shower and afterwards enjoy a well aged Scotch to soothe her nerves.

"Broke off with a boyfriend?" Miko was getting bored playing a video game.

"Bad blind date, I spare you the details. Blame my mum setting me up with a guy whom is dryer then the Sahara desert, she thought was ooh perfect for me" sighing. Right about now could need a smoke as well.

"Ouch, grown ups do have it bad"

"Ohhhh you just wait, enjoy your freedom while it last. My life isn't a picturesque as it sounds working at a model agency."

"Bad week?" Jack noted.

"Oh yeah, one of these weeks where I need a shot of Scotch to calm my nerves or else I go ballistic...I ain't drinking on the job, highly unprofessional"

"So that's how you ended up with Wheeljack? Escaping from your grown up duties"

She laughed. Jack Darpy is a clever boy, Hope noticed that for the first time. "Exactly lad, and ain't nothing wrong about that if I can get away with it"

"She didn't even hesitate when I asked if she where busy. Practically came running" Wheeljack rumbled from the sidelines. "You said something was after you"

"Yeah my mum, and insisted to go on a second date with that guy"

"What about your dad?" Rafael asked.

"He is on business somewhere with some old buddies of him from his army days at the RAF. He does that a couple of times a year, this time its Down Under"

"Huh?"

"Royal Air Force, Great Britain. He is retired long ago and settled with mum in Denmark. They meet in Dublin while she studied abroad."

"Awww how romantic" Miko swooned.

"You, the romantic type?" Jack mocking Miko.

The girls face turned to a grin. Jack was in for it this time when Miko got in that mood so he bolted. "Yeah you better run Jack-Rabbit"

"Hey mum, bye mum" Jack swiped past his mother down the stairs shocked gripping her chest when Miko too came running determination to catch up.

Arcee shot a glance at Bulkhead "Should we be worried?" the femme said. Bulkhead shrugged as Miko chased Jack down the hallway out of sight.

"Thanks June, its nice of you, shame those where one of my favourite trousers, tailor made." said pants had a big rip from the thigh and down. She have been lucky the sharp jagged stones only grazed her skin not causing any permanent damage.

"Would you sit still Wheeljack!"

-CLANK-

"Geez, watch it Doc, might poke an optic out with that thing"

June presented her some clean clothes that would fit "That's al-right. You can send the bill to Fowler for the wardrobe malfunction. Seeing any spots?" friendly nurse demeanour.

"No, think I dodged bullet there" carefully feeling the stitches in her skull around the forehead and back "I guess bangs are in this season" straining a smile having her foot touched by June.

"Your ankle is twisted so you are lucky it ain't broken or else you where off with me to the hospital." placing a soothing icepack holding down the swelling. "You should take it easy for least a weak. In other news, how are you going to explain your boss you can't make it to work?"

Raising a finger. "Well I guess I could say I was out running and tripped. He will believe that with no further questions. Not the first time I sprained a muscle. Besides Ah can wark frae haem as lang as Ah hae mah laptop wi' me. Ah am contact daily by phain wi' a lot ay fowk. We Dunbar's ur stoaner workers aw th' boorichie, naethin' comes easy, it is earned"

"Now she'd lost it, the blow to the head got her" Arcee pointed out hanging near the human lounge area. Recently gotten back from a mission with Bumblebee.

"I'm half Scottish" not missing a beat.

"Half what?"

"A country in England" Rafael remembered from geography class.

"Ahahaha...Great Britain lad, Scotland is a part of the British Isles, long hae wanted to be independent. I won't go doon in details." easing off on the accent with a smile.

Jack finally have lost Miko catching his breath. Or so he thought.

"HAHA GOT YOU!" Miko triumphant tackled Jack. He didn't have a change tipping over face first pushing all air out of lungs. How did she appear out of no where?

"That is enough young lady" June warned. "Honestly Jack, how old are you, it should be you chasing girls, not the other way around"

Other bots in vicinity, even Optimus questioned the rough house play. All attention on the boy.

"Jack, you okay?" Arcee.

"I am fine, nothing is broken...the floor feels kinda nice" face down and blushing redder then a tomato.

"Miko..." June tapped her foot and glaring stare at said girl.

Not feeling guilty "He says he is okay"

"It should work again" Rafael was done fixing Hope's phone, a miracle the screen have survived, she hated having it cracked and forced to buy a new one. Since her last broke, she switched brands. The new one was more studier to her needs.

"Thanks love" giving the boy a heart warming sincere smile. All her contacts and playlist have survived. "Is it always this around here, or when Wheeljack is in town" second time being at the base of the Autobot. Next time she hoped not meeting the bots when injured as the first time nearly getting … the mental image gave her shivers down her spine if not for Wheeljack sparing her from that fate. For a woman it would be the worst thing to endure and prayed it will never happen taken her own precautions of the predators out there.

"Sometimes its very quite when the bots are out" Raf said, being the more sensitive of the three kids. All three by accident meet the bots while battling Decepticons. In best interest for better and worse Optimus have ordered Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead to be their guardians.

"What music do you have on it?" Miko snatched her phone from her hands. "Got some Slash Mouth Monkey?" already browsing through the music lists.

"Ahem, ever heard not touch other peoples stuff without permission"

"Believe me I have tried" Ratchet commented dry.

Miko ignored, still pumped hooking the phone to the stereo and selected what she thought was good. Little did she knew not that kind of music she expected blowing out of the speakers.

A violin set the stage and tone of the first minute, then it turned up the notch more rapidly with background of an orchestra in the background that was slower then the head violinist playing for next duration of a minute, finally rest of the orchestra turned up their beat and drums for the rest of the 3 minute number. That was the song she played before falling head over heels over Wheeljack's ped.

"Someone by the All Spark please shut off that rumpus!" poor Ratchet winced.

"Clearly not a fan instrumental and symphonic hybrid orchestra music." Hope mused.

* * *

Some weeks later.

Being tough girl and rehabilitated all on her own Hope felt giddy visiting the Autobot base with Wheeljack. The bots peered at her with questioning stares. It felt nice nearly being bedridden the last couple of weeks.

"So what is she doing?" Arcee perched an eye ridge.

"She is warming up" Jack said.

"Warming up for what?"

"You'll see Cee'" Jack smirked.

"Would any tell me who made this mess" Ratchet at his usual grumpy self entered the training room.

"No worries Sunshine, we clean it up after"

In lack of better words Bulkhead and Wheeljack have came up with an obstacle course to small for a bot, it was meant for humans.

"Why do I even bother" mumbled Ratchet and left them, Short after hearing about what went on in the training facility at their base Optimus showed him self. Music played in an upbeat fashion as to the jumping and sliding through the obstacles Hope Dunbar managed. In full throttle of her feet coming to a high wall, to high to the looks of it, but that did not stop her.

One leg up on the wall as wanting to push her self away, but instead speed her ascent where she wanted and with her fingers to grappled on to the ledge and pulled with her upper body strength rest of her up now balancing in a crouch position with a smile on her face. Invigorated finally getting green lights her ancle was healed she finally got get out and run, dance and jump.

All three kids cheered, they where clearly amazed by her feat of nimbleness and strength. Her next obstacle where a long thin beam, no madras under if she might fall.

It looked solid enough stepping on to it, come on Hope you can't stop now, be on the move blood is pumping don't slow down. With focus eyes only on the beam.

"If you fall, I'll catch you" Wheeljacks voice cut into her nearly loosing her balance only a few feet into the steel beam.

Biting a remark in her focused to get across, it seemed longer tiptoeing across. Screw it she thought and took the chance.

"Woah she is doing handsprings across the beam, that's awesome" Miko was snapping a good deal of photos for the scrapbook.

Nearing the end of the obstacle course ended a bit unorthodox. Optimus have entered to get a better view and avoided contact with the set up monkey bars that was not so solid after all. It was the vibrating of his peds that cause them to collapse.

Hope's muscle reflexes set in if not she would trip over, arms above her head and feet followed her bidding making small jumps over the bars and rings that lied now scattered on the floor.

After catching her breath swiping off the sweat from her face and chest. A shower was needed after this, but felt good after all.

Miko blinked "What was that...?"

Hope her self blinked back at the girl "What was what?"

"That" attempting to imitate Hope's odd leg positions.

"That." getting some water and replied after the sip "That was ballet, some of the first lessons you learn when getting the basics. I improvised into jazz ballet that is more fluid"

"You ballet?" Jack starred at her then looked away having stared to long made his face blush.

"Yeah so, is that so bad then hanging out with a lady robot"

"She got you there Jack" Rafael laughed.

"In other related news, how do you think I stay this fit, I am not a hypocrite on the live and eat healthy gurus out there. I love to have a smoke and a good aged Scotch with a red steak on the side. Its called living life at is fullest with what you got no matter how small it is."

"And what have this to do with the feats recently displayed"

She showed her knowing smile at the speaker.

"I don't like to get stuck in one set of mind all the time, we evolve and reinvent our self all the time. Or else things are stagnant and as species we will not get where we are now. I discover new ways to overcome obstacles per say during the winter months I enlist my self and some like minded in classes we find mutual interest in, learning with body and soul."

"So what's the next thing you gonna learn, horseback riding?" Rafeal asked.

"Oh that's the first thing I learned as a toddler darling, its a second nature to me"

"I see Miss Dunbar, as we Autobots can transform is one of many feats we are programmed on an early stage to know or can be learned as the bot matures." Optimus said with a sage like tone.

The Prime gazed over his Autobots, in short time they have evolved them self, Wheeljack have too, but hid it well. In a way Optimus could see a growing deep connection between all of them. They needed the humans to survive on this world being refugees. Earth is their home now and nothing could change that. Miss Dunbar a more mature form of a child with responsibilities of her own had her own ideals from the world she came from had Optimus baffled when she spoke composed wise words.

He thought he have learned what there is to learn about humans, yet found him at an impasse, then saw that there are more to met the eye of humans.

Lesson learned from the intuitive knowledge of the three children. Especially Jack Darpy had a bright future ahead of him that only needed the right push and guidance. Same was for Miss Dunbar he observed as Wheeljack thought no one was looking at certain shift in the confident expression he bore towards Hope.

The Primes solemn optics hid the revelations what he saw. Young Miss Dunbar looks to be a new member of the human Team Prime, on her own terms, equivalent to Wheeljack.


End file.
